Dry cleaning apparatus



July 16, 1935. c. KUBlsTA 2,008,556

DRY CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24', 1932 Patented July 16, 1935 i l '1"ff i f inw cumino-mannose `('Jharlesp-L. Le assigner of"` v j one-half to; clarence M i Bolter, Le sueur,

Mmm i' f 1i' j Appliationoctebeam, 19am-serial Noeesalss. il @Liefer i My invention relateszto apparatus for -use Figf 414s a vertical sectional View showing `a cleaning articles'. of clothing :and the like" and modified-formerseallnglmeans between the cover more particularly tolrsuoh apparatus wherein andihandleportions of mydevice. Y highly inflammable fluids `arefused"aslc leaning Referring to the drawing, the embodiment agents;l 2, f K

Many housewives employvolatilefandflhighly tacleflllhaving'a l*bottom closure Illa rigidly seL4 inflammable cleaning liquids tin cleaningjarticles curdrtheret and arolledbead what the upper of clothing and the like,-sancl\the offsuch1iqv endlthereof. l nA-circular cover Il for the open top udslhas in many instances caused resl orxplosofi-the receptacle l0 is somewhat larger in diam` shownincludesan open'topped cylindrical recep- 5 V sions which have resulted-in inflictionifof fatal eterthanthereceptfele "land basal? its periph-l lf).`

or at leastpainful burns upon-the andfin ery-aange-al lardepending to a substantial disdamageto-property. V.The movement or: rubbing tanoewbelQWi-theperiphlyf A 101166. bad Hb of the articles being socleaned, particularlywhenr Drojectsfvladially-'outwardly fromy the lower edgey such articles are made offsilkgresultstin-the accu#l 0f the flange Ha- A al" annular gasket l2 iS 1.5 mulationrof charges of static electrici-ty,i"which,f interposed between. tliebead |01) of the receptacle 1'5I when discharging, will ignite the vaporf emanati` andthefcover H to normally provide aseal thereing from; the cleaningrliquid and "thus cause a between@l I firefor` explosion. Nearby exposed? flames have wHe'licalv-tension springs I3, having the ends also caused similar mishaps. l thereofsform'ed respectively into-hooks, are hooked 20. It is anobject of mysinventionto `provide'such vatitheirupperendsionto hooks 13b-secured to the" 20" apparatus wherein inaminable` cleaningilu'ids beadilzl bland are-anchored at their lower ends in maybe safely used and: wherein,v should the fluidi apertuld' DOI'IQDSDA outwardly IJIOjeCl'fihg arl-t or: vapor therefrom, become; ignited,` no :explo-f choringmembers i4 which'aresecured to the outer sion of any consequence can occur and any-fire peripherll'l'L Sul'fiwewof"v Vthe Ieptale 9'- The Y withingthe apparatuswill be automatically and springs-Here normallyuhdertension-so as to 25I immediately extinguished. i ff 1: w firmly and yctfyieldingly secure the cover Il to `Another object is to provide such apparatus the upper endnof the receptacle |0- which is simple and inexpensiveof construction; J A VDhmgel l5', flmedf Sheet metal 0I' Other which is easily operated, andvwhichiisf particusuitablematerlal; isA conical in shape, has an 301 larly adapted for home use. l l

Yet another object isrto provide suchapparatus liis aidepending skirt 15a and-therewithinla de? wherein articles being Acleaned will not be scorched; pending Aanddownwardly converging skirt iEb as or damaged'should vapors thereinlbecorne ignited. shownlfMedially"located with respect to the l A further .Object iS t0 provide Such apparatus" height pt {therplunger isahorizontally disposed i wherein hghlY/TOlaftle'Cleaning uids may be annularxnember l5'c` from the central portion of 35 keit vfltlhguttleva-portion ang los? cf slljlch-tuidt whieha tubularmexnber |5d extends tothe'upper ".s ur 1er an fmore e afl e 0 Je@ '1S endf'of" theplunger j|5. The periphery of the Provlde such an apparatus comprislng anaopen lower MM` theplunrger has a diameter only tapped receptacl? conta'lnmg .a movableha'ndled slghflyls thllthe diameter. of' the interior. of

4 plungerand ha'vmg a cover-yl1d1ng1f`secud`b9 the receptacle- In. n is to be understood that the upperend thereitaxndipi oiildedzan1 aper--f` plpngrs of 'various other'- typeg may be Successi tu? hrough Wmo e an e Q Hunger fully 'used-ir; myanbaratus. exen S. i y l v A han e 1.6, xssecured at 1ts lower end inthe These andother obJects and advantages ofthe l I invention Will be more fully set fortli'in the' folmme @mim "5d 0f theplunger '5 and extends lowing description made in connectionwith the upwgrqlyjtherefrom through aCnt'ranylPCat-ed accompanying drawing, in which like-referenceape-'uremm'cgvell' tO-a poum-Some dlstance' h t refer to Similar art ,throu houtrthe"V abovethecoyenell. The-aperture 1n the cover Il c amc ers p s g t? osuitablesizento closely nt about the handle Y several Views, and in which:- t Y openJ loweren'd: Inthe interior of the plunger 30- Figzl is a side View of an embodiment-oi. n'ly 'El and yet `Permit-vertica1 movement of the 50 invenuon'lparuauy brokenaway-to'show:thein-y handle .A sealing member Il, having an upper terior parts thereof; l i portion-Fadaptedlfto encircle and frictionally eniFig. 21s a top view; Y gagethehandle I'G and having a resilientskirt I Fig; 3 is a- Vertical sectional detail View fo portionidepending fromits upper portion and portionof my apparatusand we formedfinteg'ra'lly therewithyisV mounted on the 553 In this form the aperture in the cover I I is Vsome- Vwhat larger in diameter than the periphery/of the handle I6. The aperture is provided with a Vresilient bushing I9 having a pair of spaced vradially outwardly projecting flanges` I9a and. I9b defining a groove around its periphery ln'which the edge of the aperture is engaged and a thin radially inwardly projecting flangey I9clprojportioned so as to make firm contact with the handle I6 to form a seal between the handle I6 and the cover II regardlessof the position of thehandle.

v toV The bushing I 9 may besuitably coated or treated to prevent damagethereto from the cleaning fluid used., i

In use, articles of clothing and the like, to` be. cleaned, are placed in the lower portion of the receptacle and are immersed in a cleaning fluid such as gasoline, cleaners naphtha, benzine, or

Stoddards solvent. `The plunger I5 is then placed in the receptacle above the'articles to be cleaned and the cover I.I is'placed on the receptacle, VThe springs i3 are placed in operative p0.- sition to Vyieldingly hold the cover I l on the receptaclel.,V

The,V cleaning operation is performed .by vertically reciprocating the plunger I5 by means of the handle It?. As the plunger is moved downwardly the article or articles being cleaned are crushed or compressed so` as to force most of the cleaning liquid absorbed Vthereby and entrapped between the folds thereof through the material and upwardly between the outer .periphery of the lower portion of the plunger and the inner periphery of the receptacle to the space above the'plunger. Due tothe small'annular space through which the liquidfpasses, the liquid will travel with considerable velocity and will eddy and swirl in the space above the plunger. As` the plunger is raised the swirling liquid will pass downwardly between the plunger and the wall of the receptacle to forcefully strike and traverse the surfaces of the articles ,being cleaned and penetrate the same and-againbeabsorbed therein. As thew plunger is raised thefpartlal vacuum therewithin will raise the articles and tend to separate the folds thereof.' The cycle described is, of course, repeated a number of times Y in the process of cleaning an article. It has been foundthat the best resultsare attained when the plunger is reciprocated relatively slowly.

If, due to accumulation and subsequent discharge of static electricity generated by'movementrof the cleaning fluid and the articles being cleaned,l thecleaning fluidV or the vapors thereof become ignited, the cover II will be raised against I0 and hence snuff out any fire within the receptacle, thus eliminating danger of re. Products of combustion remaining within the receptacle when the cover has reseated assist in extinguishing the fire within the receptacle and the closure of the receptacle prevents entrance of air for supporting combustion.

My cleaning apparatus has been constructedv and used in practice and has been found by repeated tests to perform its intended v'functions with entire satisfaction. It hasbeen found capable of use for very elliciently and thoroughly cleaning articles of clothing and the like. In re- 'peatedtests wherein highly inflammable cleaning fluids were used and wherein means were provided for'purposely igniting the mixture of air and vapor within the apparatus, the cover raised used, the sealing member4 I'I may be slid downwardly on the handle I6 to a position wherein the flanged portion thereof makes contact withV the surface of the coverrl I. When this has been done thereceptacle I0 is obviously entirely sealed and hence evaporation and loss of cleaning liquid will not take place. Y l

Y When the sealing means I9 shown in Fig. 4 is used in my apparatus, it is obvious that the han-1 dle I6 is sealed to the cover I I at all times.

'I'he provision of sealing means, such as described above, makes it possible to use a filling of cleaning liquid more than once and hence makes for great economy in the use of my cleaning apparatus.

It is, ofcourse, obvious that my apparatus, althougih particularly suited for use with highly in-` flammable cleaning liquids, may be used with emciency Aand satisfaction with non-iniianimableV cleaning liquids, such as carbon tetrachloride and' others.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, eili-V cient, inexpensive, and safe apparatus wherein' articles of clothing and the like may be very effi--V ciently cleaned, and wherein highly inflammable cleaning fluids may be used without danger of ex: plosion or fire.

It will, oi course, be understood. that various changes may be madein the form, details andi proportions and arrangement of the parts, without departing from the `scope of my invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capa-i ble of carrying out the objects above` set forth and in the novel parts and combinations of parts disclosed and dened inthe appended claims.

1. In dry cleaning apparatus, a container for inflammable cleaning liquids, said container having an opening in the upper end thereof, a cover for said opening, a depending annular flange on said cover normally overhanging the upper endof said container and radially spaced therefrom, and means for normally yieldinglyurging said cover into closing relation with said opening,` said yielding means being of such strength that it releases the explosive force ofignited cleaning fluidsVr yet*V immediately closes the container upon said release being effected.

2. In dry cleaningapparatus, an open topped receptacle, a cover for said receptacle, a flange depending from said cover and disposed outwardly of the periphery olf the upper portion of said receptacle, tension springs connecting said cover to points therebelow on said receptacle, a plunger located within said receptacle and adapted for lo vertical movement therein, a handle secured to and extending upwardly from said plunger, said cover being provided with a centrally located aperture therethrough, said handle extending upwardly through said aperture, said aperture being arranged to t closely about said handle and said tension springs being of such strength that they will release the explosive force of ignited cleaning fluids yet immediately close the container upon said release being effected.

` CHARLES L. KUBISTA. 

